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(No Model.)

, R. W. PAIN.

MEGHANIGAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Patented Jan. 3,1882.

' WITNESSES:

%% MMI W/r/ INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS. Plwlo-Lilhogmpher, Washmglon. b. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT W. PAIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO MOSES HARRIS, OF

- SAME PLACE.

MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 251,929, dated January 3, 1882. Application filed May 12, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known thatI, ROBERT W. PAIN,Of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mechanical Musical Instruments,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to organs and other wind musical instruments which are mechanically played or controlled by means of one or more strips or sheets of paper or other suitable material perforated to represent the different notes or sounds it is desired to produce and caused to pass automatically over air ducts or tubes, which, accordingly as they are opened by the perforations in the paper that has a val vular action relatively to said ducts or tubes, cause the reeds or other sounding devices to be played as desired.

The invention consists in an arrangement by which the bellows or air-reservoir shall be fed or exhausterhas the case may be,by pumps or feeders placed beneath the action-board, the connection from the pumps or feeders t-o,the bellows being preferably made by means of a wind-trunk placed in one or both ends of the action-board; and it further consists of a rotating toggle-shaft connected to the hand-crank of the instrument, carrying toggles arranged so as to operate in alternation their respective pumps or feeders, whereby a continuous supply of air is furnished to the air-reservoir or bellows; and it further consists of an expression-key inserted through the bellows-inclosing lid or cover and secured to the movable board of the bellows, by means of which the operatorcan increase or diminish the pressure ofthe bellows by pressing on or holding back the movable board of the said bellows,t-hereb v making the tone of the reed louder or softer, as may be desired, producing what is termed expression, and by gradually increasing or diminishing thepressure of said bellows producing the crescendo and diminuendo effects so much desired in music, and by tremblingor shaking the key rapidly up and down producing a perfect tremolo on the reeds; and itfurther consists of other novel mechanical devices, in combination with said musical instrument, all of which will be hereinafter set forth.

Figure 1 is a transverse'sectional end elevation of a musical instrument with myimprovements applied on line 3/ y, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional end elevation of the same on line a: m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional end elevation, showing a modification of a portion of myimprovement.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondin g parts.

In the drawings, A represents the bellows or air-reservoir fixed within a box cover or lid, B, which is hinged, as shown at a, on the top of the tube or action-board 0, over the tubes D, so that it can be raised, carrying the bellows A with it, when it isdesired to change the tune by placing another strip or sheet ofperforated paper, E, in place on the instrument. Elastic strips 1), of leather orother suitable material, are preferably fastened on the inner edges of the coverB and made to reston thetop of the action-board (J, or on the paper strip E, to prevent the escape of air from the saidkbellows A, excepting through its openings 0, into the tubes 1). Springs F, attached to the inside ofthe cover B, and having their free ends bearing on the movable board of the bellows A,

valve-chamber H and thence up through the wind-trunks H that are located at each end of the instrument, as shown. These feeders or pumps G are operated by means of a rot-at;

.ing toggle-shaft, I, carrying toggles I, one for each feeder or pump G, radiating from said shaft 1 in such directions that they move said pumps G alternately, so that one or more of thelatter are always supplying air to the reservoirA when the instrument is in opt ration. Said toggle-shalt I extends the whole length of the musical instrument beneath the pumps G, and is journaled in the ends thereof, and has a cranked end extending beyond one end of said instrument, and is thereby connected by a pitman, K, with a crank shaft, L, that extends longitudiually through the instrument, and has on its opposite end a handle, L, for the convenience of the operator. Air is admitted to the pumps G through an opening,

M, in the bottom of the instrument into the pump chamber M, and thence through the pump-valves d.

The tubes D terminate over corresponding apertures, in m, in a reed-chamber, N, formed beneath them, in the bottom of which are fixed the reeds 0, over suitable openings, f, leading into an open chamber, 1?, whence the air forced by the bellows A through the tubes D to vibrate the reeds 0 escapes into the outer air.

A push-pin or key, Q, is entered vertically and centrally through the top of the coverB, and is securely attached to the movableboard of the bellows A, so that the operator, when the instrument isin operation,maybypressing on said key Q, make the tones of the reeds O louder and by retarding the collapsing of said bellows A by means of the key Q may make the said tones softer, and may by gradually increasing or diminishing the pressure on said key Q, produce crescendo and diminu'endo effects, and by apidly shaking or jarring said key Q up and down produce a tremolo on the said reeds O.

The perforated sheet E of paper rests on the action-board U, with its ends extended outside of the cover B and wound around the drums R, that are supported in brackets S, which are hinged on the front and back of the instrument on vertical hinges 9, so that they can be closed together when the instrument is not in use. A belt or cord, '1, passed over pulleys U, that are keyed on the drum-shafts V, serves to transmit the motion of the one to the other drum It, so that the rolling and unrolling of the perforated strip E shall be simultaneous when the one or the other of said drums R is revolved. The perforated sheet or strip E is drawn from the one drum R over the tubes D, to be wound about the other drum R by the rotation of the crank-shaft L, which presses the said sheet or strip E upward against a roller, WV, that is journaled longi tudinally in the cover B, the rolling friction of said shaft L and roller W operating to this effect.

In Fig. 3 is shown a modification of my improved device, in which the reed-chamber N, containing the reeds O, is placed within the cover B, directly beneath and communicating with the bellows A, and over the perforated music strip or sheet E, so that when the perforationsin said strip E coincide with the tubes D the compressed air is forced by the bellows A through the apertures m m into the reedchamber N upon the reeds 0, thereby causing them to sound out of the openings f through the tubes D and thence through the perforations in the strip E. In this modification the valvular action of the perforated music-strip E is the same as in the improvement above described; but the modification makes it possible to construct the instrument more compactly.

In a prior application I have described an air reservoir or chest which is adapted to be set over a perforated music-sheet upon the action-board of an instrument, and which is provided with interior flexible strips to prevent the escape of air from its sides, and I therefore do not wish to cover broadly such a construction in the present application.

Having thus described myinvention,I claim as new an d desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a mechanical musical instrument in which the operation of the sound-producing devices is controlled by one or more traveling perforated strips or sheets, and in which air under pressure is used to produce the necessary notes or sounds, the bellows which forces the wind to the reeds or other sounding devices of the instrument arranged within a boxcover over the tubes, said cover being hinged on the top of the action-board, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. In a mechanical musical instrument in which the operation of the sound-producing devices is controlled by one or more travel-' ing perforated strips or sheets, the combination, with the bellows or air-reservoir, of an attached key or push-pin, substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the tones of the reeds or other sounding devices may be changed in expression and crescendo, diminuendo, and tremolo effects produced, as set forth.

3. In a mechanical musical instrument in which the operation of the sound-producing devices is controlled by one or more traveling perforated strips or sheets, the combination, with the feeders or pumps G, of the rotating toggle-shaft I, provided with toggles 1, substantially as herein shown and described, whereby said pumps are alternately moved to give a continuous supply of air to the bellows or air-re:ervoir, as set forth.

4. In a mechanical musical instrument in which the operation of the sound-producing devices is controlled by one or more traveling perforated strips or sheets, the combination, with a removable box-cover placed on top of the tube or action-board, of bellows or air-reservoir contained therein, for forcing the wind to the reeds or other sounding devices, substantially as herein shown and described.

5. In a mechanical musical instrument, a hinged cover inclosing the air-reservoir or bellows, which fits over the tubes D,and is adapted to be removed or opened for inserting the sheet of music, substantially as herein shown and described.

Bonner w. PAIN.

Witnesses:

I. I. STORER, C. SnnewIoK. 

